{
  "id": 15436552,
  "title": "Deathstroke Actor Reveals Scrapped Batman Film Would've Featured Batgirl And A Shocking Death",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/18/deathstroke-actor-reveals-scrapped-batman-film-wouldve-featured",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-18T15:30:16.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Polygon",
    "slug": "polygon",
    "url": "https://www.polygon.com/ben-affleck-batman-movie-plot-details/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Joe Manganiello, who played Deathstroke in the scrapped Batman film, has revealed tantalizing details about the movie in his memoir, Bloodlines. The 2010s saw Ben Affleck directing a Batman film based on his version from Zack Snyder's DCEU, but the project fell through due to Affleck's personal reasons. Manganiello portrayed Deathstroke in various DC Extended Universe (DCEU) films, including Justice League and Zack Snyder's Justice League. According to Manganiello's account, the scrapped Batman film was a twisted tale of Batman's life unraveling after the loss of his son Jericho. Deathstroke's relentless attacks on Batman led to the kidnapping of Alfred and a shocking murder of J.K. Simmons' Commissioner Gordon. The movie's climax featured a brutal fight between Batman and Deathstroke, inspired by the iconic CG trailer for Batman: Arkham Origins. While the film never entered full production, Manganiello believes it would have been a gritty and intense Batman movie, fitting the darker tone of the DCEU.",
  "summary": "Deathstroke actor Joe Manganiello gave us our best overview of Ben Affleck's scrapped Batman movie yet",
  "key_points": [
    "Joe Manganiello played Deathstroke in scrapped Batman film.",
    "Ben Affleck directed Batman film based on Zack Snyder's DCEU.",
    "Movie would have featured Batgirl and brutal Batman vs Deathstroke fight."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}